This invention relates to a platform assembly for a vehicle seat. The invention is provided for carrying articles for ready access by an occupant of the vehicle, such as the vehicle driver, without substantial shifting of the articles while the vehicle is in motion. The articles may be a portable computer, telephone directory, work file, fast food items, or the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,994 issued to Hollins discloses a prior art support device for transporting articles in the front seat passenger-side of a vehicle. The Hollins support includes a flat platform with a rear edge portion for being wedged into a crevice of the seat between the seat bottom and the seat back. A support strap extends through spaced-apart openings formed in opposite front corners of the platform, and loops around the head rest of the seat to hold the platform in a slightly upwardly tilted condition. The platform is intended to carry packages, such as groceries, for transport.
The present invention is useful both for transporting articles and for permitting ready access to the articles by the vehicle driver. The upwardly tilted condition of the platform in Hollins will tend to shift the articles in a direction towards the seat back, thus making it awkward for the driver to quickly and easily access the articles while the vehicle is momentarily stopped, such as in traffic or at a traffic signal. Furthermore, the strap of Hollins extends generally diagonally from the seat head rest to the front end of the platform, and provides a further obstacle to the driver for quickly accessing the articles.
The present invention addresses these and other problems of the prior art by providing a platform assembly which is supported in a relatively level condition on the seat of the vehicle, and which allows quick and unobstructed access to the articles by the vehicle driver. The invention includes a raised border and a slip-resistant surface to prevent substantial shifting of the articles while the vehicle is in motion. Articles can be carried in a safe and stable condition on a front end of the platform, thus allowing the driver of the vehicle to simultaneously access the articles while keeping a close eye on traffic or a traffic signal as the vehicle is momentarily stopped. The raised border further prevents any loose articles from rolling off the edge of the platform, and onto the floor of the vehicle.
Moreover, the present platform assembly functions as a temporary work desk for the driver when the vehicle is parked, for example, outside of a restaurant or in the parking lot of an office building. This enables the driver to conveniently eat while working within the parked vehicle, or to make last minute preparations for a business meeting. The invention further includes a cut-out section for accommodating a cellular telephone assembly mounted within the vehicle.